Saving Robert Barrett

“He is just a sick, little boy,” said Robert Barrett Sr. talking about his son, Robert Jr.
Robert Sr. and Lisa Barrett of Newark have been dealing with Robert Jr’s. health issues since his birth. Now, at age seven, the boy’s problems have been compounded.

Dealing with rare Hydronephrosis, the disease has severely damaged his kidneys, bladder and ureters which has left him with Stage III kidney failure and severe bladder disease. The boy also has high blood pressure, iron and calcium issues along with other health issues.

Hydronephrosis — literally “water inside the kidney” — refers to distension and dilation of the renal pelvis and calyces, usually caused by obstruction of the free flow of urine from the kidney.

Currently Robert Jr. takes eleven medications every day, to keep him alive, and uses a Foley and Catheter. His health has recently dramatically declined over the last several months with some serious health set backs.

Robert Jr. has been in the hospital numerous times since he has been born, but over the past five months, the hospital stays have increased with severe infections doing even more severe damage to his organs, and has almost ended his short life.

Doctors Golisano Children’s Hospital at Strong Memorial had planned to give him more surgery, but they said that due to his health, there is nothing else they can do but treat him for the constant infections which he gets frequently. Unfortunately, his body will become resistant to the host of antibiotics.
“His doctors have been great, but now we have to find the very best we can. The doctors in Rochester can only do so much,” stated Robert Jr’s father. The dad especially acknowledged the efforts of Golisano Surgeon Dr. William Varade in fighting to keep his son alive.

The Barrett family wants to travel to the Mayo Clinics, out of New York State. The only problem is that Robert Sr.’s health coverage is under the New York State Health Plan. The family can travel anywhere within the state and be covered, but specialty medical care out of state is not covered under the plan.
“Basically he is going to die if we don’t do anything,” added Robert Sr. The family wants to travel to hospitals in Philadelphia and to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota where they perform a surgery called Ureterectomy, where they cut out his Ureters and connect his kidneys to his bladder – That could possibly save his life or extend it.

“This is very rare and has high risks, but doing nothing at all has even more dire consequences,”said Robert Sr.

“We will have to pay for all medical expenses, relocate there for a while, find some where to stay, we will need help with just about everything. We have exhausted all our funds due to all the expenses we have accrued. If that procedure doesn’t help, we would like to use some of these funds to take him whereever he wants to go to enjoy the rest of his life before he dies. I wish everyone could meet Bugaman, he has the biggest heart. All the nurses at his hospital love him and fight to take care of him when he’s there. Even when kids pick on him because of his catheter, he tries to make them his friends. He is a real Angel from God and we want to keep him around as long as we can. He asked us the last time he was in the hospital when God was coming to get him because he‘s tired of being sick, it broke our heart. We told him not until you’re very old,” wrote Robert Sr. in a plea for help.

“If someone can raise millions to develop an app for a game that does nothing for humanity, than I hope we can raise enough money to save our son. So please help and get the word out to whoever you can, we don’t know a lot of people and this is the first time we have tried to raise money for our son. We hate to ask for help but we don’t have a choice anymore,” pleaded the Dad.

The family is receiving help from members of the First Methodist Church in Newark.

They have also posted a request on youcaring.com, a free online fundraising site where donors can contribute in Robert Jr’s name in hopes to raise the funds needed.

The Barretts have four children two boys and two girls, with Robert Jr., the oldest.